Playful
by Mangaland
Summary: Tasuki's childhood sweetheart comes back to his village for a visit on "friendly terms". But in this new lifetime, his feelings for the older mage take an unexpected turn... Chi/Tas
1. Childhood Sweetheart

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. It belongs to its respected owners. Notes: Reincarnation fic :P Author's Notes: In this first chapter, Tasuki just turned 14 and so he acts a bit childish. Chichiri's around 16. Hey, it's one of my first non-fairytale world fics... be nice :P 

******** 

It was as if the older man's words were in slow motion. As if the one I loved descended toward me from the clouds. Hopping off each in eager anticipation. Drinking with each gulp with his throat parched, still. The wind current fought then yielded with every movement... every swish of the arms through his sleeves... his legs running only toward me... 

~~~~~~~~ 

"R... really?" The young bandit's eyes lit up. "You... you'll come with me?" 

"I said I would no da." The fox face smiled patiently at him. "But Tasuki, you understand that-" 

"Of course, Chiri'!" The fiery haired teen cut in immediately. 

"I trust you Tasuki to understand..." Chichiri's bangs fell across his face. This wasn't working. "Nevermind. I'll meet you there tonight." 

******* 

He crawled up through the flower bushes, over large damp rocks and fought off leaves dangling over the path. His feet would scrape a sickening, moist noise across the soft-clinging moss on the sharp stone cuts. Strong fingers clung into the moist dirt. _Everything_ was sodden in these little "secret" places his young friend showed him. 

Finally, there was a magnificent view of the stars through a border of vines with damp hanging flowers and a flat, clear crest just over it. With another tug, he was over his edge of the steep hill. 

"You're late." The boy huffed playfully. "And you're all dirty!" He grinned from cheek to cheek. 

"I'm not small, Tasuki." That boy was so full of energy. "I can't fit through these secret passages like you can no da." 

"You're no fun anymore, Chichiri san!" The tiny bandit brought out a couple of pork buns and handed one to his boyfriend. "You're all old and grouchy!" 

"Grouchy no da?" The former monk's eye raised ever so slightly. 

"Yeah! You're always so grouchy and you complain all the time!" 

Chichiri was not only confused, but a little irritated. "Well Tasuki, I guess I'm not your boyfriend anymore no da?" 

Using his speed, the flame-haired youth clung onto the older teen's arm in an instant. "I never said that!" He stuck his tongue out and snuggled into the soft sleeve. "But you wouldn't be my husband if you weren't old and grouchy and acted like my parents!" 

"Husband... no da?" This was lovely. Tasuki's parents would be just thrilled to hear this. "I've been upgraded already no da?" 

"You... _are_ planning to marry me, aren't you Chichiri san?" The boy's innocent eyes pleaded softly. 

"Tasuki, we've been over this no da." Chichiri's voice lowered solemnly. "You might find someone you're happy with later on na no da. Instead of an 'old man' like me." 

"No!" The flame-haired boy tightened his grip. "You're not an old man. I take it back! Besides, you promised remember! You promised when I turned 17, you would go out with me... on a REAL date!" 

Chichiri seriously doubted that the early-teened bandit would still remember such a thing in three years but he smiled anyway at the thought and the boy's eagerness. After all, he would be travelling around the day after tomorrow and probably wouldn't see the boy again before those three years were up. And with Tasuki sneaking out of his parent's house (every night) to be with the bandits, his love interests would probably shift. "Alright no da. I will keep my promise." He ruffled the boy's hair. "Isn't the stars nice na no da?" He looked up thoughtfully as if this were a real romantic moment. 

"Yeah yeah!" Tasuki chirped in and sat on his senior's lap. He wanted to impress his boyfriend with his knowledge of the stars. "My dad told me this one was my constellation and this one is yours and..." 

All the older Seishi could do was laugh softly. 

To be continued... 

************** 

Author's notes: Tasuki's basically this little kid who has a thing for his senior (senpai!), Chichiri and hangs around him all the time. Both of them are aware that they are reincarnated Seishi. Chichiri's going off to try and develop his own powers.   
And... yeah, Taiitsukun will make an appearance 

I'm weird. 


	2. Ugly reunion

Gomen, it took a long time to put up. I've been doing revisions and stuff. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. It belongs to its respected owners. 

Thank you for all the reviews!! ^.^ Sorry for being confusing... but then again I'm not sure what everyone was confused about... ?.? Specify... 

It's a reincarnation fic of... them in their own time. Not Miaka's world or anything. I realize that I should've given everyone different names... oh pooh. 

I also should mention that I've never seen Tasuki's house before. 

**************************** 

The red haired Seishi was furious. 

Pissed off could be another term described. 

Heaving, laboring breaths threatened the air when the young man stormed toward the tavern. The innocent little wooden shelter sat silently to the side, withdrawn almost. And yet, it was the prime target of the bandit's urgency. 

He cursed and huffed away like a child. "Damn asshole... dancing through my village telling shit like that...", he muttered angrily. 

The door slammed open. When the old man looked up from his maintenance, the vibrant young bandit recognized the familiar face. Through the heavily discolored eyebrows, the elder stared at him, half with recognition and half with fear. "Sh... Shunu? You've grown..." 

"Who's this asshole comin' in the village tellin' all those stories about me?" The young man's fangs poked out menacingly; his tone quite relentless and agitated. "Tell me, ya old fart!" 

The old man smiled knowingly at the teenager across the counter. The curve on his lips expressed relief from the recognition. "Oh you don't remember?" 

"Just... fucking... tell me." Of course, the soft-hearted bandit knew that in the right state of mind, he wouldn't hurt the geezer but what if this one time... just this one time... 

"Light blue hair? Cheery fox face? High pitched voice?" The gentle smile grew even wider. 

"Wha?" Well, he knew that he _should_ know this fox man. He had a slight memory all of a sudden but like everything else that occured a while back, he couldn't sharpen it. The bandit sat there dumbfounded, not saying a word, eyes widened. 

"Hmm... how's about no da?" The bar tender absently leaned forward, anticipating. 

"No... da..." Genrou gave up. This was too hard to figure out. "Where'd this guy go? I'm gonna give him a fuckin' beatin' fer all the thin's he's been sayin about me!" 

"He's at your parents' house! Don't you remember, Shunu? You used to be so attached." 

Attached? Another image washed through his mind. "The hell're you talking about old geezer..." 

*************************** 

"Gen chaaaannn!!" 

"Yakamashi! Geez, the whole fuckin' hideout can hear ya." He turned away from the open door as his fellow bandit walked in. 

"So did ya beat the crap outta that guy?" 

"He's at my parent's house..." The younger huffed cutely. "He's gotta know that I can't ever... *shudder* step foot in there..." 

"I dunno, Genrou. You must've let on quite an impression if he's going around braggin' bout ya!" His playful companion winked. 

"Yakamashi! I ain't the one flirtin' all the time!" He tossed a pillow square in Kouji's face. 

The darker bandit looked hurt for a little bit before getting his rival in a headlock. "Aww, come on Genchan! We need ta get this guy up hear so we can all hear embarrassing stories about ya! Everyone wants to know yer little childhood obsession with a _guy_! After all, it will only state the obvious: that I am truly everyone's leader!" 

"Ya ain't gonna win, Kouji!" The younger teen fought against him. 

"What are ya talkin' about man? I have more experience!" 

 And they fought on pointlessly. 

************************** 

It was a while before the young bandit could recall liking a male. He was surprised that the rumors were true. Or outraged... 

So there he was sitting. Not Tasuki anymore. Tasuki was gone just like his affection for the older man. But here he was still. In the tree. His golden eyes were focused on that mage, much like a cat. Waiting for that one moment where he was left alone. Watching that tuff of blue hair sit with his parents, smiling contently about his mother's embarrassing stories. His father just sat there, amused of course. 

In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he would beat the older man to a pile of flesh. Seeing his parents so lively and full of conversation was one thing, but seeing the man having a pleasant time with them; actually listening to them. It was something Genrou himself had never enjoyed. And in that sense, he was guilty and envious. 

When the bandit grasped reality once more, the mage was alone next to some tree stump. He seemed to be... inspecting it? Whatever he was looking at seemed interesting enough. 

Swiftly, the younger hopped off the branches. As soon as his feet touched the ground, those pair of squinting eyes focused in and he almost gasped. Hardly anyone could have known he was there. 

"Konnichiwa, Tasuki kun no da." That voice. It was familiar. But how unlike the high, chirpy one he was used to. Instead, this voice was low, with a touch of commandment and intelligence. 

"H... hey." Genrou shifted nervously. That man had an incredibly idiotic smile plastered on his face. It was a while before either of them said anything. "What's this I hear 'bout ya telling everyone that I liked ya when we were small?" Of course the nominated bandit leader remembered his little crush before. 

The man in front of him considered for a second, his fox face still pleasant. "Everyone used to know no da." He walked toward the young bandit. "What, embarrassed now no da?" 

His face tightened. "It's ruinin' my reputation here." The bandit retorted irritably. "Ya ain't my boyfriend." 

"Reputation no da?" The older man laughed. Genrou wasn't amused. "Mmmm... You aren't mine either Tasuki kun no da. Anyway, that's not what you said... hmmm... 3 years ago? Four years no da?" The fox face stopped at friendly distance, his voice turned into that high, cute little voice. "I remember you calling me your husband no da! And you were crying when I left and followed me for over five-" 

"So what? You want me to follow through with it or somethin'? Cause' I ain't gay, ya stupid fuck." The voice lacked the wild fire once threaded with his lively spirit. Instead, it hung in the air like a frost. 

"I never said you were Tasuki kun no da. You've gotten over that very well. You're all grown no da!" 

A whiplash of white anger cracked through the dangerous golden eyes. "I don't fuckin' need ya to be tellin' me how much I grew or how fuckin' much I liked ya before!" Genrou seethed irritably. 

The mage's fox smile dropped to a serious consideration. They were silent. 

..... 

..... 

"Is that all then no da?" The cheery voice turned solemn and serene once more. 

"Is that all what?" 

"That you want to say to me no da?" 

"I never wanted ya ta say anythin'! YER the one goin' around tellin' everyone that shit!" 

Silence. 

"I guess this is who you want to be. I'm a little more than disappointed. This is goodbye then Tasuki kun no da." 

"Yeah, an' stop callin' me Tasuki!" 

The mage turned around to the direction of the house. "Saraba na no da." 

"Che." 

************************* 

It wasn't exactly how he wanted it to go. It was obvious that someone was going to end up with regrets from it. And Genrou had hoped it would be the mage. He was still uneasy about the whole thing. It was as if the conversation never happened. The significance of their reunion after how many years amounted to nothing. And when Tasuki thought of it that way, his heart filled with depression. 

But like anything else, life goes on. 

And it did. 

To be continued. 

************************* 

yay. Finished for now. Grammar and spelling isn't at optimum level. 


	3. You again no da?

AN: the story's taken an interesting turn because I am simply a weirdo. Again, thank you for all the reviews!! 

Eh, they will be somewhat out of character because different situations make them slightly different people. But not entirely for some personalities are decided from birth. 

Warning: The speech sometimes implies discrimination toward... well anyone! ... but only a small hint. It's only _in_ the story, not the message/moral/idea _of_ the story. 

Japanese:  
Adjective: Shioppoi- Salty ******************* 

Twas a month after their encounter with one another. Another page in his book turned over. The reader would notice however, that the text was larger than any other chapter in his story, and virbantly decorated to compare. 

****************** 

The younger bandit had lost. Plain and simple. He was too "weak" for the position of leader as opposed to his best friend, who had knocked him out ten minutes into the match. The older drunken thieves made fun of him. The younger, more inexperienced patted him on the back. And Kouji, well he was different. Kouji went on being the annoying "older brother" that he always was. 

"Oi! Genrou! Cheer up! I didn't beat ya THAT hard!" The older bandit's grin spread from cheek to cheek with a cheerful passion. Genrou felt a hard slam on his already tortured back. 

"The hell ya doin' Aho!" The beaten pile of bandages sprung to life and knocked his friend over. 

Within an instant, he was slammed back onto the bed with a supposed "Dr. Kouji" at his side. "Ya shouldn't be outta bed, Genrou! After our fight, ya have ta heal naturally." 

"Don't make like ya weren't hurt too!" Genrou seethed at his friend poking a bandaged bruise on the arm. 

"*cough* Well, not as much as Gen chan!" 

"Oh yeah?" The redhead slammed a palm at the exposed bandages on his friend's forehead. 

"UWAAAAA!!" 

For I-don't-know-how-long, both of them ended up torturing eachother's wounds. 

****************** 

"Daaaa!" The rain dropped down onto the forest once more just as the mage jumped into the emtpy refuge house. He slammed the door shut and sighed to himself. "That was close no da!" Earlier in the day, it was pouring before it cleared up cheerfully. And of course, called to the road as usual, the mage set out thinking he could reach the next town before the rain would eventually come again. And... well, soon after in the middle of the mountains it drizzled slightly and here he was. 

Chichiri knew that this house was normally occupied by the bandits when rain or storms trapped them. But now that it was empty, there was no need to worry... yet. 

"They might run here if they're caught in the rain." He sighed again. "I can't seem to rest today no da." 

The fire was started and the place turned nice and warm. From the corner of the room where blankets were piled up, the mage heard a low, grateful groan. 

"Daaaa!" His high pitched voice screeched cutely. "Monster no da!" 

"Who the hell ya callin' a monster?" The voice growled once more and then emerged a young, very bandaged, red-haired man. His lower lip quivered a little from the warmth replacing the cold, wet sheets. 

"Tasuki?" The mage's voice was a normal low once more. 

"Oh fuckin' lovely." 

The young bandit was ushered in front of the fire while the soaked layers of blankets were strewn out to dry. Genrou protested of course, but didn't fight in his tired condition. 

"You're all beat up no da." Chichiri sighed. "You should lie down no da." After no word of response, he gently forced the young man on his back. 

"I don't need ya ta tell me what I fuckin' need." The bandit's voice was hoarse from fatigue. 

"How long were you in those wet blankets no da?" The mage's brow furrowed in irritation when the young man was still silent. "Did someone fight with you?" He folded his cape into a pillow and fitted it under the younger man's head. "Gomen, it might smell a little sweaty no da..." 

The bandit inhaled the light scent of the cloth. Chichiri started to fumble with the wet bandages and the wet clothes. The bandit relaxed, breathing in the older man's touch. "Thanks..." He mumbled before falling into sleep. 

************************ 

As his eyes opened tiredly, the first thing he layed eyes on was the older man sitting next to the fire with one of his old blankets, now dry, wrapped around him. He slumped his head back down. After a few moments more, he sat up. 

"Konbanwa, Tasuki no da." 

A grouchy groan was the response. 

"I took some money from your bag to buy food no da." The fox face didn't look at him. It wasn't smiling either. 

The bandit groggily took a bun and bit into it. "Fuck, it's cold." 

"I had to buy the leftovers since it's night no da." 

Genrou growled and stared into the fire. It was definately night. He glanced outside at the dark clouds still pouring before staring at the flame like his company. Eventually, those golden eyes, like a cat's grace, snuck over to the man sitting next to him. He bit into the bun once more before realizing that the mage's hair was damp. "The hell happened ta ya?" 

"I said I went to town no da." The blue haired man looked at him, somehow knowing what he was inquiring. "It's been raining ever since you slept no da." 

The redhead swallowed hard. "Sorry for makin' ya do that." 

"Daijoubu na no da. Your blankets come in handy no da." The older man glanced over. "You should wrap yourself with my kesa. It'll keep you warm na no da." 

"Che." The grouchy bandit turned away and stared into the fire once more. But he did as he was told and a tingly feeling caused him to shiver a little under the dark blue cloth. "Last thin' I wanted was ta be stuck with YOU, ya know." 

"That can't be helped no da." The mage leaned back and stretched out on the floor. 

"I know that!" 

It was silent. From the back of the room... drip... drip... 

"Ya don't need ta fuckin-" 

"Would you be quiet no da? I can't sleep if you keep talking na no da." 

The air was quiet for a short while before the bandit swung around and opened his mouth to yell. 

But then he caught sight of the slender body strewn out shirtless, skin bared to the world. It was so slim but small etches of malnutrition and somewhat of a tone lay there, hauntingly eye-catching on the blanket. The young bandit stared at him, wondering idly how long it would take before the older man noticed. 

He sighed and turned back to the fire, fidgety. "Yer not asleep, are ya?" He asked in a harmless accusing voice. 

"Not if you keep talking no da." 

Drip. Drip. Silence, then... 

"Yer pretty fuckin' skinny. The hell do ya eat...?" 

"Why? Are you fat no da?" 

"That AIN'T what I meant, AHO!!!" 

"You're so talkative Tasuki no da. Just like before." 

Silence overcame them once more. Drip... drip... drip... Genrou was seething silently to himself. 

"Che. Yeah well, at least my voice wasn't frickin' high." 

"Like THIS no da?" The high-pitched voice rose up cheerfully. Then with a sudden octave drop once more, the older man resumed his lower voice and replied, "Yours was at one time." 

"Tha's cause I was a kid. Yours was cause' yer gay." 

The mage raised an eyebrow in shock. "I am not no da. I never was. But you were na no da." 

"If I was the fuckin' gay one, why did YOU come back? It was because a' the promise?" He turned fully around. 

"I thought you forgot that na no da. I came back to see how you were doing no da." 

"Che, yeah I'll believe that one. Perverted old man." He smirked, satisfied. 

"I would never do such a thing!" The mage sat up and glared at the redhead who then, glared straight back. "A little conceited aren't we no da? If I'm the weird one, Tasuki, how come YOU'RE the one getting worked up over something that happened in the past no da? Why is it that you can't let go of it no da?" 

"And what the hell is that supposed ta mean!?" A firestorm lit up in the blond orbs, golden lightning cracking blindly over the river of flames. 

"Nothing, Tasuki no da." The mage lay back once more, dismissive. "That's exactly what the past means. Nothing." 

Chichiri was finished with it. But Genrou wasn't. The young bandit jumped, up furious. The burns that his wounds tried to scream only fueled his outrage. _How dare he... How dare he tell me what matters and what doesn't..._

He pounced hard onto the body underneath. The mage let out a cry of both anger and surprise. Tasuki wrestled with all his might, the pain in his bruises finally taking their toll on his strength. Chichiri on the other hand was both worried about the bandages and angry at the bandit's false accusations. The bandit was so vicious. His nails tore at any exposed skin possible, and his fists connected hard with the solid flesh. 

"What are you doing, TASUKI!!" He snatched the bandit's wrists and held them up high. 

"Don't touch me, you gay fuck!" The younger screamed against the rhythmic drops of rain on the roof. He glared hard at the mage, unable to shed his thoughts, afraid of tipping the dangerously filled glass of his bitter stress. 

"BAKAYARO!! You spoiled little brat!" The young bandit was flown into the wall, his limp form pasted to the vertical planks of wood. His eyes wearily looked up to watch the swift, commanding movements of the mage casting a spell. He couldn't move. He was stuck. He turned away in shame, tears still falling down his face. The mage stalked closer to his still body. 

"Tasuki... what happened to you...?" The older man released the spell and cradled the younger man into his arms. "W... what's going on?" He rocked gently back and forth, his bare skin aware of warm, touch of flesh to flesh. 

The young bandit snuggled unconcsiously into his arms. His broken, golden eyes gazed up at the shioppoi raindrops dropping from that deeply toned chin. Everywhere ached but it didn't really matter. _Is he crying for me?_"Nothing happened to me... 'Chiri... don't worry..." He sobbed. 

Chichiri sat there, silent, cradling the younger man's form in his arms. Both avoided each other's gazes. "Ne, Tasuki?" 

Genrou looked up, his breath too heavy to respond normally. 

"I suppose... I was gay at one time... because I let you be my boyfriend long ago..." He sighed. 

And the mage could have sworn that he had heard a chuckle. 

To Be Continued...   
AN: the teardrops were on the chin b/c the mask can't cry. 


	4. Pretty reunion!

Sorry I took long :P. 

-san (suffix): when one Kanji is paired with the Kanji for mountain ("yama") then the suffix becomes "san"... such as "Mt. Fuji" would not become "Fuji Yama" but would instead become "Fuji-san". But if it's just mountain by itself then it would be "yama".   
************** 

The bandit was groggy again the next morning. He was currently lying on the only bed in the room while the mage was fussing about, gathering things here and there, wrapping and packing. He sat there dumbly. 

"Tasuki no da." The mage looked up and gently stuffed the rest of the blankets into a bag. "How are you feeling no da?" 

The bandit watched him, still trying to wake himself up. "...huh?" 

"You look dead no da." The solemn voice spoke quietly. He tossed the bandit his shirt. "It's dry now no da." 

Yawn. "Thanks." He sighed. 

"Everything is packed. Now then..." Chichiri sat down in front of the bandit. "Tell me what's wrong no da. What were you saying last night?" 

"Eh? Wrong?" 

"If you want to pretend like everything is all right then I won't stay no da." The mage sighed and stood up to leave. 

"Oi... wait." Genrou got up and yawned. He stood up, despite the pains in his wounds protesting, and shoved the mage back onto the bed, carelessly. The poor man fell backwards, squealing a "daaa!!" 

"Sorry 'bout that." He grinned, a fang poking out like his normal self. "Don't know my own strength." 

"What was that for no da?" The mage pouted and sat up. 

"Well... I..." He started. Now that he was feeling better, he all of a sudden didn't want to start to spill his every anxiety and emotion. After all, the glass was finally balanced on the table, there was no need to tip it over and cause a mess all over again... even if it is filled with acid. "I guess I'm feelin' better. I should get back before any of the guys worry about me." 

Chichiri stared at him, his mask disappointed. "You should go quickly. It's going to pour again very soon no da." 

Tasuki stood still, trying to get his emotions under control. "So ya plannin' ta leave then?" 

"Nope! I'm planning to stay here a little while longer no da!" He chirped. 

"Oh, well then I can't leave ya alone." The younger man sat next to him. "I'll stay with ya." 

Chichiri's face twitched into a kind of laughter. He had originally been joking. _But he seems eager to stay no da... I suppose I could spend time with my childhood friend..._ "So what have you been doing for the past three years no da?" 

The bandit thought silently but with gestures. "I'm with the Leikaku-san Bandits! Heh, I'm a pretty fuckin' good one too! Me 'an my pal Kouji 'kin take on anyone!" 

"So why are you beat up then no da?" The mage joked. "Who did you 'take care' of?" 

The vibrant young man fell silent. He opened his mouth once, twice. No words escaped. The golden eyes were restless, darting everywhere as if Chichiri was trying to capture them. So the mage decided to wait it out; to see if the younger man would change the subject. 

"It's kind of complicated." He began, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I kinda lost tha duel with 'im. It sorta decided who was gonna be leader..." The mage put a hand on his shoulder, the bandit gave him a warm smile and shook his head. "Iya. I lost fair and simple. Thanks fer stickin' next ta me..." Tasuki's face blushed a little, "... I kinda realized last night that' I shouldn't be so fuckin' pissed off at everyone, ya know? I mean, you an Kouji were just there ta cheer me up an here I am actin' like a kid..." He looked away and flushed deeply. "Do... ya understand?" 

"Apology accepted no da." The fox face smiled and ruffled his hair. "So I'm not a gay pervert on your list anymore no da?" 

The bandit bit his lip from guilt. "Sorry 'bout that..." 

The mage laughed. "I was joking no da." 

"I know but... ah nevermind. Anyway...!" He slammed the mage's back. "We should drink sometime! Da ha ha! Catch up on stuff!" 

Chichiri sweatdropped. "Tasuki... you sound like a drunk old man..." -.-; 

"And you sound like a liquor-deprived mage!" >: D 

TBC... --;;;;; 


End file.
